Lost Storms
by Sorceress Rinoa Leonhart
Summary: Rinoa disappeared and Squall was killed battling a new evil sorceress who vanished after the battle. 5 years later a young girl named Tempest appears with no memory of anything. Can her lost memories hold the truth as to what happened to Squall Rinoa and
1. Prolouge

Tempest looked out at the dry empty landscape around her. She didn't remember why she was here at the moment, or even where she was. It didn't disturb her though, not remembering, most of the time she didn't remember anything but her own name. And her friends of coarse, she'd never forget them, some times she'd have a little flicker of memory of some little thing from her past, but she would always forget it soon after. She felt tired and there was no threat in sight so she sat down on the ground, she took out hte blade she carried with her. She knew it was important to her but not why, she only knew that she would never part from it. The sword, it had something to do with why she was training out here, training? Yes that was why she was here. But why was she training. She lay back looking up at the sky, trying to remember, something anything. She watched the clouds skitter across the sky, how long had she really been out here? She idly let her fingers slide along the gunblade, coming to rest on the trigger. What was she going to do when she finnished training, what was it she was training for? She closed her eyes, feeling lost. Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her, she sat up in surprise to see a Wendigo charging at her, she didn't have time to attack it.  
  
"Hell Fire!" She yelled ducking down as Ifrit appeared beside her. He obliterated the monster in seconds.  
  
"Thankyou." Tempest smiled as he disappeared. Ifrit was one of her friends, they came to help her whenever she called them. Her garudians when she could not fight for herself. Slowly she got to her feet. It was time to go. She wasn't sure where she was going, but wherever she ended up she was sure that was where she needed to be. She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets finding inside a ring. She let her fingers slide along the smooth surface, she knew that it wasn't meant for her but not who it was meant for. Only that it was important to that person and had to be returned. As she walked the dry dusty area turned to grasslands, as she looked up she noticed something huge looming on the horizon.   
  
"City." she whispered.   
  
{ "Hold my hand dear, it's dangerous in the city. You don't want to get hit by a car do you?" a woman whose face was unclear reached down and took her hand. "Stay close to me we'll go find your daddy." }   
  
Tempest stared up at the city, letting the memory fade away. She'd never really cared to much about what her past was like. It never occured to her to try to keep track of these memorys. She trudged along getting ever closer to the city, somehow she felt that this was where she needed to go. 


	2. Where did you get that ring?

Tempest stared up at the city in wonder. The buildings, the lights, the people. It had been along time since she'd seen other people, at least she thought it had been. Sometimes she believed that only she and her friends exsisted out there in the wilderness, but here, this was something she was entirly unused to. Yet it was somehow familiar. As she walked down the streets most of the people gave her funny looks as she went past. She wondered why, then she caught her reflection in a window. Her clothes were dirty and torn, and a little small for her. Her hair was a long tangled mess, she was plain and simple a total mess. She blushed slightly and wrapped her jacket tightly around her. Her jacket was the only thing that looked alright yet it was to big for her. One of the people near her was snickering and pointing, she felt her face growing hot. She turned and walked away quickly suddenly she heard a loud blasting noise. She looked to see bright lights shining in her face, something huge was roaring towards her.   
  
"So he thinks he can catch me off guard by blinding me does he!"   
  
She turned to face the creature and readied to call one of her friends when suddenly someone ran out, grabbing her he jumped out of the way of the thing.   
  
"Are you crazy young lady?" the man asked looking at her disheveled appearance rather disgustedly. "Were you trying to get hit by that car?"   
  
Tempest wrapped her jacket tighter and stared at the ground. Car? Was that what the monster was called? Did this man think she was to weak to fight of the monster herself? Shoving her hands in her pockets she scolwed at the ground. People were begining to gather.  
  
"General Carawy just saved that girl." whispers spread through the crowd. Then she noticed it was gone.  
  
"Well what do you have to say for yourself?" the man asked.  
  
  
  
"My ring!" she gasped, she looked around on the ground. She spotted it near his foot and dove for it but he saw it first. He picked it up.   
  
"where did you get this?" he asked his voice shaking a little.   
  
"Give it back!" she reached up and wrenched it out of his hand.   
  
"Alright people it's all over, she's alright. Nothing to see here." several men started waving the people who had gathered away from them. "General Caraway Sir, I think it's time to go back to the mansion."  
  
"Just a moment." General Caraway knelt by her. "Where did you find that ring?" he asked gently.  
  
"I didn't find it, it was given to me for someone else." Tempest shied away from him.  
  
"Who?" he asked.  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
"Would you like to come with me for a little bit? We'll get you cleaned up a little. I want to ask you some questions. Please."   
  
After a moment Tempest nodded.   
  
"Sir are you sure it is wise to..." One of the guards started but with a wave of Caraways hand fell silent.   
  
Still distrustful Tempest followed General Caraway up to a huge house. Tempest stared at it, it was a huge beautiful house, but for some reason she didn't like it."  
  
{ "Come on, it's time to go. I told you it'll always be the same, he'll never have time for anything but his work. He doesn't care about anyone or anything other than that."}   
  
Tempest looked at the man, had she known him before? When he led her inside he motioned to a woman who was cleaning in the hallway.   
  
"Get her cleaned up a bit, and find her a change of clothes. When she's ready bring her down to my study." He walked off looking rather disturbed.   
  
The woman looked her up and down. "You are a mess aren't you. Where would the General pick up something like you? And why for that matter. Oh well, it's not my job to question what he does I just work here." the woman turned around with a wave of her hand.   
  
"Follow me."   
  
Tempest followed the woman down the lavishly decorated hallways of the great mansion until she reached a large marble room.   
  
"Alright now this is going to be a chore." The woman said grimly.   
  
***  
  
Tempest looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was clean and cut to her shoulders. It was shininy black with natural brown highlights. She wore black shorts and a tank top with a light blue duster over the top.   
  
"You look the spitten image of Miss Rinoa." The of the maid stared in awe. "Who would have thought under all that mess? Oh well, come along, General Caraway wants to talk to you."   
  
Tempest picked up her old jacket and put it back on, and grabbed her pack.   
  
"Now now, you don't need that dirty old jacket anymore."   
  
Tempest tightened her grip on it. "I'm keeping it." she said flatly.  
  
The waved her hand. "Whatever you say miss." she sighed. "Come along." When they entered Caraways study she stood in the doorway. "The girl's here sir." she said pushing Tempest forward a little.   
  
Caraway stood looking out the window sipping a glass of wine, when he turned to look at her he dropped it, the glass shattering on the floor.  
  
"Leave us please." he said when the maid moved to clean it up. She nodded and left the room.  
  
"Rinoa?" he stared at her, with what seemed like a deep sense of loss.  
  
"That's not my name." Tempest said indignatly. "And I don't know if I like you so I'm not so sure I'll tell you what it is just yet."  
  
The General dropped into a chair and motioned for her to sit as well but she stayed standing.   
  
"Please tell me, where did you get that ring?" he asked.   
  
Tempest ran her finger over the smooth planum band. What did he want with it so bad anyway?  
  
"Please it belonged to my daughter, Rinoa. She disappeared almost five years ago. It was my wifes wedding ring, she gave it to Rinoa before she died. Please where did you find it?"  
  
{"Please give this to Gale, as a remembrance. I will always think of her as my daughter."}  
  
Tempest frowned, Gale? Who was Gale? Was that who she was to give the ring to? Was that who it was important to?   
  
"Is something wrong?" Caraway asked.   
  
Tempest shook her head. "No, I don't remember who I got it from. I'm sorry."   
  
  
  
Caraway nodded sadly, "It's all right."  
  
"I..I guess I'll be leaving now. Thankyou for everything, and I'm sorry again." Tempest took a step towards the door.   
  
He stood up and put a hand on her arm."If you're not really Rinoa, please tell me your name before you go." he asked softly, pleadingly.  
  
She paused for a moment. "Tempest."   
  
His face seemed to go pale, and he recoiled as if something had tried to bite him. He stumbled backwards into his chair.   
  
AN: I'm going to end it right there for now, I pretty please want at least three reviews before I put up the next chapter. Please people? *Looks around and sees no one is around and goes off to skulk in a corner.* 


	3. What is a SeeD?

AN: Thankyou Beautiful Green eyes, my first reviewer for this story :) and Emrelle Elendal, I really appreciate your reviews.   
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Tempest?" Caraway murmered in shock. "No." he stood up and edged toward the door. Tempest watched him, he was acting very strangly. "Just wait here." his voice sounded on edge. He went out the door and slammed it behind him.  
  
Tempest shook her head. She had no intention of staying here, she didn't like this place, it seemed so familiar and somehow it was a familiarness that gave her an unhappy feeling. She went to the door and tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. Panicing she yanked on it, then started pounding on it. He had her trapped in here, in her panic she almost called one of her friends to get her out, but something told her that was not the thing to do here. She went all around the room, she looked out the window, it was much to high to jump out. Maybe Bahamut would fly her out. She tried to open the window, it didn't budge.   
  
"Hyne take it all." she swore.   
  
She heard a soft murmer of voices outside the door, she pressed her ear up against it to listen.   
  
"Is that really her?" the maids voice whispered.   
  
"I don't know." a mans voice answered. "General Caraway sure seems to think so. He's calling someone in to help with this, I don't know who."  
  
"May I go in and speak with her?" she asked.  
  
"No one is allowed to go near her until Caraway gets back."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."   
  
Tempest paced around the room, help what kind of help? What was going on? Who did they think she was that they had to lock her up in here. She was terrified, she sat on an armchair hugging her knees. After a half an hour or so she heard the voices again.   
  
"He's called SeeD. They're going to be here within the half hour. What's going on?" the messenger asked.   
  
SeeD  
  
{"You? You want to be a SeeD? You'd never make it as a SeeD, you're to whimpy. Now knock it off and go away so we can train."}  
  
{"How did you get here? This is an important SeeD mission! You're not supposed to be here, you! Take her back to the Garden now!"}  
  
{"My daddy is the best SeeD in the world! He'll come after you for hurting my mommy!"}  
  
More voices continued to pound in her head. She didn't like this sudden flood of memories she didn't understand them. She had to get out of here! Had to do something, anything to make the voices stop. She tore around the room in a fury picking things up and throwing the kicking at the doors and walls trying to get out. She picked up a chair and threw it at a statue on the wall. It caught on the hands and suddenly the wall opened up. She calmed herself down, staring at the opening. A ladder led down into darkness, she didn't know where it would lead. She looked around herself, the voices had stopped for now. Why had so many been triggered by that word? She wouldn't even think the word, afraid that the rush of memories might come back again. She looked at the ladder again, anywhere was better than here. Slowly she climbed down the ladder and into the dark depths below.   
  
***  
  
"Quistis, Zell, Irvine and Selphie please report to my office." Headmaster Cid's voice rang over the com. Quistis looked up from her work. What did he need at this time? It was getting close to supper already. She got up from what she was doing and took the elevator up to Cid's office. The others were already there waiting for her.   
  
"Good evening all." Cid nodded motioning for them to sit.   
  
Quistis sat down and waited for him to tell what this was all about.   
  
"I've just received a call, from General Caraway."   
  
"General Caraway?" Quistis thought. "What does he want?"  
  
"He's called for SeeD help. It seems Tempest has appeared. She's at his house now. He doesn't know what to do with her."  
  
"Tempest!" Zell jumped up. "She's alive?"  
  
"Apparantly." Cid nodded. "I want you two to take the Ragnorok to Deling and get on this right away. Just make sure Tempest gets here safely. "  
  
"Yeah! Tempest is alive! That's great news!" She hugged Irvine "Wait until we tell Ivy!"  
  
"Quistis, you are to be the leader of the mission. You and Zell are to go into the city to get her, Irvine and Selphie you wait outside the city in the Ragnorok only come if they need backup. Remember, be cautious. We don't know where she's been the past five years, Selande could have taken her."   
  
"Yes sir." Quistis stood up and headed for the door.  
  
"What about Gale?" Irvine said suddenly. If Tempest is still alive, maybe she's still out there to."  
  
Quistis wasn't to sure how she felt about that. She like all the others had tried to treat Gale the same but it was just so hard knowing how she came to be.   
  
"Do you think it's true? That she was taken and trained by Sorceress Selande?" Zell asked.   
  
"I don't know what to believe. All I know is that she disappeared and that seems to be the only real explanation for all of this." Quistis sighed as they all left Cid's office.   
  
"Well, I'm going to go tell Sarah, Zio and Zan where I'm going. I'll meet you at the ship." Zell started to run off.  
  
"Zell, don't tell them about Tempest, not yet." Quistis warned.   
  
"Alright." he nodded and ran off to say goodbye to his family.   
  
When she got onto the Ragnorok Selphie and Irvine were already inside.   
  
"You guys already to go?" She asked.   
  
"Yep, we're having Sarah look after Ivy for awhile." Selphie climbed into the cockpit.  
  
"I'm here." Zell dashed in. "Let's get on this mission."   
  
  
  
***  
  
When Quistis and Zell reached General Caraways mansion he was waiting for them outside.   
  
"General Caraway." Quistis nodded grimly.   
  
Zell just scowled at him.  
  
"I should have known they'd send you. You're the once who know her best now I suppose. Follow me she's locked in my office." Caraway turned and walked inside.  
  
"You locked her up?!" Zell exclaimed.   
  
"She's suspected of being trained to be Sorceress Selande's successor. She's dangerous." he answered.  
  
"Did she appear to be hostile at all?" Quistis asked.  
  
Caraway didn't answer. "Here." he unlocked the door and pushed it open.   
  
When she and Zell stepped inside Quistis stared at the room in shock. It was a mess, furniture was overturned papers and other things were scattered about the room. Almost nothing was left unbroken and there was no Tempest.   
  
"What exactly did you two say to each other before you locked her in here?" Zell asked staring at the mess.   
  
"I only asked her about Rinoa's ring. She has it, that's why I brought her here. She wouldn't tell me her name until later. Then I called you. She dosen't seem to remember much."  
  
Quistis looked at the open secret passage way. "We have to go to the gate, she may have come out already but it would be best to try and head her off if she hasn't."   
  
"Right." Zell followed her out of the house.   
  
"And you stay here." She glanced at Caraway.  
  
He spread his hands. "Whatever you say." he went back into the house.   
  
"." Zell muttered.  
  
Quistis ran straight to the gate and there she was. The image of Rinoa, wearing Squall's jacket and carrying his gunblade. She stared at them for a moment, a flash of recognition crossed her face before she turned and ran.   
  
"After her." Quistis took off.   
  
"Tempest! Stop, we're not going to hurt you." Zell called as he ran. The girl whipped around a corner and when they turned she was gone.  
  
***  
  
Tempest held her breath as she watched them from the bushes. Their faces were so familiar, she should have never come here. She was happy out in the wild alone without the voices, she couldn't stand the voices the...memories. They scared her.   
  
"Where could she have gone?" the woman looked around.   
  
"Tempest?" the man called.   
  
Suddenly she sneezed. They both turned and looked at the bushes, she jumped up and ran.   
  
"Wait!" they called after her.   
  
She dodged out into the street, suddenly one of those cars came charging at her again she drew her gunblade and held it out in front of her. The thing was screeching and swerving around she swung at it just as it crashed into her.   
  
"Tempest!" she heard alot of shouting and noise, she couldn't see anything, all she could feel was pain everything slowly went dark. 


	4. Why should I remember?

Chapter 3  
  
Tempest stood in a dark room, a door opened a beam of light spilling across the floor. A hand pushed a five year old version of herself gently into the room.   
  
"Why don't you play in here for awhile?" a voice said softly, the door closed and the lock clicked.   
  
"I don wanna be in here! It's dark! I don wanna be by myself!" the little girl whimpered tugging at the door handle that would not turn. Suddenly there was some crashing and shouting from the other room. "Mommy?" the little girl whimpered again.   
  
The screaming continued, "Hey you let me out! Let me out! Stop hurting my mommy! Hey!" Little Tempest pounded on the door tears streaming down her face. "Let me out!" Suddenly all sound outside the door stopped, Tempest kept tugging at the door sniffling, suddenly it swung open a dark forboding figure stood in the way.   
  
Tempest sat straight up looking around herself wildly, she didn't recognize where she was, she was in a small bed in a little room.   
  
Gale, she didn't know why but that name kept running through her mind.   
  
"Calm down now, you're going to be alright." a woman was standing beside the bed. Tempest pulled away from her.  
  
She felt something missing inside her mind, like an empty space there, she couldn't place what it was but then,  
  
"My friends! Where are they!" Tempest demanded growing panicy "Where are my friends!" they had been with her and gaurded her, her entire life so far as she knew, they couldn't be gone.   
  
"It's alright, they're fine. I only unjunctioned them for awhile." the woman said soothingly.   
  
"Give them back!" Tempest screamed. "And let me out of here, I want out now!" Suddenly Tempest felt a prick on her arm, she looked and saw the little needle sticking out of it.   
  
"There, that's just some medicine to calm you down. Your GF's are fine. It's not safe for you to keep them junctioned all the time you know. You should only junction them during battle. There are you going to be alright." the woman offered her hand but Tempest jumped to her feet and backed against the wall.   
  
"What happened?" she demanded, she could feel the drug working, making her drowsy but calming her a little. She forced herself to stay alert.   
  
"You got yourself hit by a car, Zell and Quistis brought you here for medical attention. A couple curaga's got you mostly fixed up but you'll need to take it easy for a few days to fully recover. Now, I don't think you remember me, but I'm doctor Kadowaki. It's nice to see you again Tempest."   
  
Tempest shrank back a little. "How do you know my name?" she demanded.   
  
"I knew you when you were a little girl. You used to live here." the doctor explained. "Now get into bed, you need to rest. We'll tell you more when you wake up."   
  
Those words hit Tempest like a blow to the head. She used to live here? She'd never really tried to remember her past, never cared to remember the little memories that flashed through now and again. But now, here she was, in a place where she had been before, with a woman who claimed to know her. She wished desperatly that she knew something, some little hint of what was going on, who this woman was or where she was. Shakily she obeyed the woman climbing into bed.   
  
"Here, this will help you sleep." she was handed a mug full of steaming liquid. Slowly Tempest drank and fell back asleep.   
  
***  
  
"How is she doing?" Quistis walked into the infirmery.   
  
Doctor Kadowaki looked up from her desk. "Her injuries are healed up. She needs rest though. I don't think she remembers much though."   
  
"Is she...?"   
  
"She's not a sorceress no. I don't think Selande got her claws into her." Kadowaki nodded for emphasis.   
  
"How bad do you think her memory loss is?" Quistis asked.   
  
"Well, you know how it works for you SeeDs, you only junction the GFs when you're fighting and even then you loose some of your child hood memories. She had eleven GF's junctioned to her, and I believe they've been junctioned ever since she disappeared. That could do quite a bit to scramble you memories."   
  
Quistis sighed looking into the room where Tempest was asleep. "Do you think she'd remember if we told her everything?"   
  
The doctor shook her head. "I don't think that would be the right thing to do. If you told her these things, I don't think she'd actually remember them, she'd just have the images that she formed from listening to what you told her. I think that would just confuse her, I think it would be best it we just helped her along and let her do the remembering herself."   
  
"I guess you're right." Quistis murmered. "Can I see the data on her GF's?"   
  
"Certainly." Kadowaki motioned to where it sat.   
  
Quistis looked over the list of the GFs carefully. "She must have been there." she murmered.   
  
"Don't ask her about that right away." Kadowaki seemed to know exactly what Quistis was thinking. "Let her get familiar with this place and her childhood memories again. We don't want to traumatize her by bringing up the horrible ones first."   
  
Quistis nodded. "I guess it is what's best for her." She looked down at the sheet again. She wanted to know so badly, but she would wait.   
  
***   
  
Tempest opened her eyes groggily at first she didn't recognize where she was. Then the memory flooded back to her, the Kadowaki woman seemed no where in sight. She slid out of bed and began searching the infirmary for her things. She found her gunblade on the womans desk and her GFs loaded into the computer. She quickly rejunctioned her friends and slung her gunblade across her back and snuck out the door. The hallway outside was empty but she stuck close to the walls so that she could hide if anyone came her way. When she came to the end of the hallway she stared at how lovely the place was with the fountain and the plants around the hallways. But there were also people, lots of people. There was no possible way she could get through here without being seen, her best chance was to pretend she belonged here and hope that no one noticed her. She took a deep breath before striding confidently out into the hallway, no one stopped her, though some people did stare at her, others pointed and whispered. It made her nervous, she wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, she made herself walk a little faster. This hallway seemed to go in a circle but none of the hallways that branched off seemed like an exit so she kept walking. Then she saw the Kadowaki lady, she had her back turned at the moment so she didn't see her, but there was no way she could get past. Tempest quickly ducked down the nearest hallway, as she ran down it she was surprised to see the scenerey suddenly change to forest. She slowed down to a walk staring at the trees and plants around her. Was she outside now? She heard footsteps behind her, she quickly whipped out her gunblade and spun around.   
  
"Whoa slow down there, I'm not a monster." a young man about her height with blonde hair and big brown eyes stood behind her with a laughing smile. But suddenly it shifted to a frown. "You..." he began, but was suddenly cut off by a loud roar. "Look out behind you!"   
  
Tempest swiftly whirled around to see the huge dinosaur like creature almost upon her. She whipped her gunblade around and slashed it with several hard blows before chopping it's throat. The thing soon fell over dead. Tempest wiped the blood off of her gunblade then stood up to see the young man was watching her.   
  
"You couldn't be." he murmered almost to quiet to hear. "Tempest? You're alive?"   
  
"That's me." she said frowning. Did she know this boy? He seemed to know her. "Who are you?"   
  
He frowned "You don't remember me? It hasn't really been that long has it? It's me, Zan. Man you really learned how to fight."   
  
[ You'll never be a SeeD.] [Go away you're slowing us down.]  
  
[Zio,come get her out of our hair.] [You're to weak, you're gonna have to go somewhere else.] The voices started popping up in Tempest's head. With a scream of agitation she threw her hands over her ears.   
  
"Stop it!" she screamed, she took her gunblade and slashed a chunk out of the foliage near her. "Shut up!"   
  
"Dear Hyne!" Dr. Kadowaki came running in. "What happened?"   
  
Zan stared at Tempest in shocked surprise, "Nothing, I just told her my name and she started going balistic!"   
  
"Tempest, calm down. Please put down the gunblade,"   
  
"Make the voices stop." Tempest moaned.   
  
"Voices? What kind of voices Tempest.   
  
"Hyne, make them stop!" Tempest threw her gunblade down and fell to her knees holding her head.   
  
"You're going to be alright." Dr. Kadowaki approached her talking soothingly. She went over and picked Tempest up. "We need to get you back to the infirmery. Zan grab her gunblade and follow me."   
  
*  
  
Back at the infirmery Zan watched as the doctor put Tempest back in bed. Was that really her? It did look like her, but she didn't seem the same at all.   
  
"What's wrong with her?" he asked the doctor as she came back into the lobby.   
  
"Just go get, your father, Quistis, Irvine and Selphie please." she sighed.   
  
Zan scowled. He was eighteen, he was going to be a SeeD soon, and they still treated him like one of the kids. But just the same he did as he was told. It wasn't to hard to track everyone down, Zio and Ivy came along to. Once everyone was present Dr.Kadowaki looked up at them.   
  
"As most of you know, it is really Tempest I'm pretty sure of that. But her memories are gone, like I told Quistis we were going to work on trying to make her remeber things slowly. But now I'm not so sure how bad her condition is. If she goes into a fit of rage like that again she could easily hurt someone." Dr.Kadowaki paused. "I think that if she is to stay here, and not be a danger to other students she must have one of you with her at all times." she pointed to Quistis, Irvine, Selpie and Zell.   
  
"We'll agree to that." they all nodded.  
  
"I think we should let her rest now. I'm going to try and find out exactly what is wrong with her, I don't know if these voices she hears are a result of some condition or if Sorceress Selande actually did do something to her but I'll do my best to figure it out."   
  
The others began to leave, Ivy and Zio were whispering excitedly. Zan glanced back at Tempest's room before his father ushered him out with the others. She didn't seem the same at all.   
  
"They said she dosen't remember anything, do you think she'll remember us?" Zio asked looking up at her brother.   
  
"Well she didn't remember me." he shrugged.   
  
"We'll help her remember." Ivy bounced up and down. "It'll be just like it always was."   
  
No, not just like it always was, there was still Gale. Ivy and Zio seemed to have conveintly forgotten her and were happy to have her remain out of sight out of mind. Besides that, he didn't think Tempest would ever be just like she always was, he just didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. He decided that he would go and see her later, try and see if he could get any memories out of her.   
  
***  
  
When Tempest finally got the voices to stop she climbed out of the bed and went back into the lobby. The doctor lady was sitting at her desk.   
  
  
  
"Are you alright?" the woman asked her.   
  
Tempest only nodded.   
  
"Here I have something for you." she handed Tempest a small laptop. "Keep your GF data loaded in there so you don't have to keep them junctioned all the time. It will help with recovering your memory loss." Tempest just stared at it for a long time before taking it.   
  
"What if I don't want to remember?" she asked quietly.  
  
"There are many bad things in everybodys life that they don't want to remember, but there are also many good and happy things. The bad memories make the good ones all the more precious to us. I know that you've had a hard life Tempest, but living the rest of it out alone without any memories dosen't mean that it never happened. Aren't you even a little curious about who you were?"   
  
"No." Tempest turned and ran, she didn't like this place. It made the voices come so much more often. She hated the voices. She didn't want to remember her life, she'd been perfectly fine before coming here. She kept running and didn't look where she was going, she had heard the doctor woman yell after her but she ignored her. There was something in her mind that wanted to break out but she didn't want it to, some bad memories that she wanted to remain buried. She ducked into a dark room empty room and sat down on the floor breathing heavily. Slowly she stood up and looked around her, there was a huge statue of a creature in the middle of the floor...a lion.   
  
Griever. The name popped into her head. She looked down at the gunblade she carried, the lion that dangled off the hilt. Yes Griever, that's what its name was. Slowly she approached the statue there was a little plaque at the bottom.   
  
In meomory of comander Squall Leonhart our great comander and his wife Sorceress Rinoa.   
  
Suddenly she felt tears welling up in her eyes, she knew those names but she didn't know who they were. Some of the voices began to come back but she shut them out.   
  
"Tempest?" she looked over her shoulder, that boy...Zan was standing in the doorway. "Are you alright? I saw you running and..."   
  
"Who were Squall and Rinoa?" she asked.   
  
Zan stared at her for a moment in surprise. "Umm well..." he fumbled around a little. "They were your parents."   
  
"They're gone aren't they?" she asked   
  
Zan nodded.   
  
She turned back looking up at the statue silently letting tears run down her cheeks. Tears for people she couldn't remember, or tears because she couldn't remember?   
  
"Will you...help me?" she whispered.   
  
"Yes." he gently. 


	5. Who's Gale?

AN: Thank you so much to Pretty Green Eyes, Silver-Nex and KyuuketsukiShounen. Your reviews mean alot to me.   
  
Quistis looked up from her work, Tempest was sitting in a chair at the other end of the room seemingly patient, but she could tell by the way she stared out the window that she'd rather be elsewhere. It had seemed like a good idea for each of them to take turns watching her at first. But Quistis felt slightly guilty, she didn't really have time to spend right now, she had work to do. Selphie had taken her shopping, Zell had taken her out to see Balamb, and Irvine had taken her out to see the fire cave. And now here she was stuck in an office watching tv while Quistis did her paper work.   
  
"She must think I'm the most boring person in the world." Quistis thought.   
  
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.   
  
"Come in" Quistis said.   
  
Zio and Ivy popped their heads in, they had gone along with Tempest on all her little trips and they seemed to have picked up friendship with her right away.   
  
"Can Tempest come and hang out with us?" they asked pleadingly. They had come in and asked earlier but Quistis had told them no, she was to busy and Tempest needed to be watched. Tempest looked out the door rather longingly. Quistis looked at her watch, there was still hours before Selphie would take her at dinner.   
  
"Alright." she answered finally.   
  
"Yes!" the two girls in the doorway squealed.   
  
Tempest grinned and went out after them. Quistis watched them go, she hoped desperatly that nothing happened for Tempests sake. Tempest had gotten new cloths when she went out with Selphie so she no longer wore Rinoa's old dress. She still looked exactly like her mother, she also refused to stop wearing her jacket. That was one of the things that puzzled Quistis, she was sure that it was Squall's jacket. Yet he had been wearing it when he left before he died, that could only mean that Tempest was there when he died. But that could mean...Quistis sighed. That could mean alot of things. She hoped for Tempests sake that it was not what she thought.  
  
***  
  
Tempest practically ran out the door when Quistis said she could go she was so bored of sitting in that room. She was tired of being watched constantly like a child, but she knew that it was for the protection of those around her.   
  
"So, what do you guys want to do now?" Ivy bounced on her toes as they walked down the hallway.   
  
"Ivy is that you?" Sarah stuck her head out of the library. Tempest quickly ducked behind a plant, she didn't want to get Quistis in trouble for letting her out unsupervised. "Oh good, Zio hunny I was looking for you. Would you and Ivy help me in the library for a little while? I've been making Zan work all morning and I think it's time he got a little break."   
  
"Aww mom!" Zio moaned.   
  
"Don't aww mom me." Sarah said sternly come on girls.  
  
They gave one tentative glance toward Tempests hiding spot before following Zio's mother into the Library, it was only moments before Zan came bounding out.   
  
"Free at last." he sighed.   
  
Tempest stepped out of her hiding spot, Zan frowned when he saw her. "What's up?" he looked around as if expecting to see Quistis there.   
  
"Quisits said I could hang out with Zio and Ivy because she was to busy to do anything with me. I just didn't want you mom to see me unsupervised." Tempest blushed a little, she hated that rule so much, but it was her own fault, she was dangerous.   
  
Zan nodded as if he understood. "Will you tell me about my parents?" she asked.  
  
Zan frowned as he began walking down the hallway and Tempest followed. She wanted to ask Zan because she didn't feel that Ivy and Zio were the kind of people to ask about a serious subject.   
  
"What do you want to know about them?" he asked finally.  
  
"Anything I don't know." she answered simply.  
  
"Which would be everything?"   
  
Tempest nodded.   
  
***  
  
"I can't do it." Tempest crouched on the floor with her arms over her head. "I can't."   
  
"It's okay calm down. Just try to remember, take one of the voices and focus on it." Zan was trying to be patient, trying to get her to remember on her own, not just tell her everything.  
  
"Just stay away from me!" Tempest screamed jumping to her feet. She looked around wildly then suddenly she froze, staring wide eyed down the hallway.   
  
"What is it?" Zan asked her gently.   
  
"He's here! He's here I saw him!" Her voice sounded panic stricken. "I know that's him I can feel it." suddenly her eyes narrowed she drew her gunblade and ran down the hall "He's gonna pay."   
  
"Tempest no!" Zan raced after her but she was much faster, after a few minutes he found her kneeling on the floor, gunblade tossed to the side. Zans breath caught when he saw what she was leaning over, one of the underclassmen, and sword wound through her chest lay dead on the floor. "Hyne take it what have you done." he murmered.   
  
"He's here." She stared in wide eyed shock cradling the girls head in her arms. Then her eyes narrowed again. "He must die, he will." she growled.   
  
A man turned down the hallway. "Hey you!" Zan yelled at him. "Run! Get doctor Kadowaki and Instructor Trepe! Hurry!"   
  
He took one glance and the scene before him and took off running. Zan looked down at Tempest discarded gunblade, it looked strangely clean, but the girls shirt did have blood wiped on it, she could have cleaned it off. He swore at himself, he didn't want to believe that Tempest did it but what other alternative was there? It didn't take long for the Doctor and Instructor to get there.  
  
"This is all my fault." Quistis looked at the scene in horror.   
  
"Tempest." the doctor said gently.   
  
"He's going to pay." she said her voice growing raspy.   
  
"Tempest can you hear me?" the doctor said, her voice sounded rather strained.   
  
"He hurt my mother! He killed him! He has to die!" Tempest screamed before bursting into tears. Dr. Kadowaki took a shot out of her pocket and injected it into Tempests arm. After a minute she slumped over.   
  
"I don't think she did it." Zan stared at the dead girl.   
  
"I don't think it's going to matter. There are no witnesses, there are many people who don't want her here. A girl is dead and they'll want someone to blame." Quistis gently lifted the dead students tears filling her eyes. "This is all my fault." she repeated. "I shouldn't have let her out alone."   
  
"But she didn't do it!"   
  
"Zan I think you should go now." Dr. Kadowaki picked up Tempest and began heading towards the infirmary.   
  
"What's going to happen to her?" Zan demanded.   
  
"We don't know." she said sadly.   
  
Zan kicked the wall in frustration as they disappeared down the hallway, he stomped down the halls to the library. There he found his sister and Ivy sitting white faced at one of the tables. When they saw him they both jumped to their feet and ran over to him.   
  
"It can't be true can it?" Ivy choked on a sob.   
  
"People are saying Tempest killed someone, it's not true is it?" Zio looked at him pleadingly.   
  
The man who went to get the Doctor and the Instructor must have told someone, word spread quickly here. Zan grimaced. "I let her out of my sight, it certainly looks like she did it but I don't think she did."   
  
Ivy sank to her chair and Zio stared at him her face ashen. They all knew that this would mean a lot of trouble for their rediscovered friend. They just sat there in the library, not saying anything, none of them knew what to say. Finally after a long time Quistis came in and sat down at the table with them.  
  
  
  
"I'm guessing Zan told you what happened." she looked at the three teens who were studying her expectantly. "Headmaster Cid and some of the Commanders are discussing what they are to do with her now."   
  
  
  
"I don't think she did it." Zan repeated.   
  
  
  
"I wish I could believe that to, but all evidence seems to point towards it. People are starting to wonder if she is really under sorceress Selandes control. She very well may be even if she isn't a sorceress herself." Quistis rested her head in her hands. "This is all my fault, I shouldn't have let her go off on her own."   
  
Scowling Zan jumped to his feet and stomped off, she couldn't have done it, could she?  
  
***  
  
Tempest stared up at the tall shadowed figure, contempt and a lust for revenge flowing through her but as she charged him he always seemed to elude her until suddenly he vanished.   
  
"Who are you looking for?" a mocking voice said behind her.   
  
Tempest's heart turned to ice, ever so slowly she turned to see who was behind her, but she already knew who it was, the name pounded in her head with as much hate as she felt for him. Gale.   
  
Tempest snapped awake looking around her anxiously. She was in her little room in the infirmary. She shook her head trying to remember how she'd gotten here but it wouldn't come, the only thoght she could find was the one she wanted to get rid of. Gale. The name kept pounding through her skull over and over, she couldn't remember who the person was, only that she wished she'd never exsisted. Slowly the door creaked open.   
  
"Tempest are you awake?" Dr. Kadowaki poked her head in slowly.   
  
  
  
Tempest looked up at her, she had to know. "Who's Gale?" she asked. 


	6. What have I done?

"Who's Gale?" Tempest asked tenativly.   
  
  
  
Dr. Kadowaki paused, she hadn't been expecting that. "That's not something we need to talk about right now. I don't want to upset you. Do you remember what happened before you came here?"   
  
  
  
"I...I was with Zan. That's all I remember." she said. "Please I need to know..."   
  
"Tempest, a girl is dead. People think that you did it. Did you?" Dr. Kadowaki asked gently.   
  
  
  
"W.What?" Tempest stutterd. "No! No I didn't kill anyone."   
  
  
  
"She was killed with a gunblade Tempest, we don't have many of those around here. You were found with the body, what happened Tempest?" Dr. Kadowaki prodded.  
  
  
  
"I didn't do it!" Tempest yelled.   
  
  
  
"I want to belive you but you have to tell me what happened."   
  
  
  
"I don't remember." she said.   
  
"Dr. Kadowaki? Are you here?" a voice from the front office called.   
  
  
  
"I'll be right back." the doctor left closing the door behind her. Tempest jumped up and listened at the door.   
  
"I don't think this is a good idea! She should be kept here so I can try to find a way to help her." Dr. Kadowaki's voice came from the entry.   
  
"I'm sorry but that's not possible. It's been decided that she is a threat to the safety of those in garden and is to be detained in the detention center until further notice." a mans voice said. "We'll be taking her now."   
  
Tempest backed into a corner as the door was pushed open.   
  
  
  
"Tempest, we need to take you somewhere safe." Dr. Kadowaki walked in followed by two SeeDs.   
  
  
  
Tempest touched the computer she kept in her jacket all she had to do was junction one her her friends and call them, they would get her out of here. But then she would never get the answers she wanted.   
  
"I didn't kill anybody." Tempest repeated as one of the SeeDs took her by the arm. The two of them led her out down the hallway, she saw Zan just as they were leaving the infirmary.   
  
"Tempest? What's going on?" Zan started to come after them but Dr. Kadowaki pulled him to the side. The two SeeDs led her to a small detention cell. She was gently nudged in and the door was shut and locked behind her. Tempest curled up in the corner, this wasn't fair, she was sure she hadn't done anything, had she? Tempest took the ring out of her pocket, she looked at it intently. She remembered back to her short visit to Caraway's, he'd said the ring belonged to his daughter Rinoa.   
  
"So that man was my Grandfather, and this is my mothers ring." She remembered one of the voices, the memories, she'd had there.   
  
{"Please give this to Gale, as a remembrance. I will always think of her as my daughter."}  
  
Her stomach nodded, the only thing she could remember in connection with Gale was a strong feeling of hatered. This ring belonged to her mother, why should she give it to someone else? Who was it that wanted her to give it to Gale? She wished desperatly that she could remember.   
  
***  
  
"Zan, they have to take her to the detention center." Dr. Kadowaki pulled him to the side.   
  
"What?!" he exclaimed.   
  
"It's for everyone's protection."   
  
"But she didn't do anything!" Zan punched the wall.   
  
"I'm doing my best to prove that, I'm going to go talk to her later. See if she can remember anything. But the question is Zan, if she didn't do it who did?"   
  
"I don't know, but it wasn't her." he said sullenly.   
  
Dr. Kadowaki put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure things out somehow."   
  
Zan pulled away and stomped off to the secert area. It was the middle of the day so no one would be there now. He wanted to be by himself to think. He sat down leaning his head against the wall. She'd changed so much. He remembered when they were little, Tempest was always tagging along with him and his friends. She wanted to be a SeeD. None of them ever thought she could do it, but look at her now. She could easily take any of them out. Never in his life did he ever think he would wish Tempest was still that little helpless tag along. But right now he did.   
  
"Are you okay?"   
  
Zan looked up, Zio and Ivy had entered.   
  
"We heard Tempest was sent to the detention center and came to look for you." Zio said.   
  
"We have to get her out of there. It's not fair, they don't have any proof that she did anything." Ivy growled.   
  
"The only one who can prover her innocence is Tempest." Zan leaned back again. But then it hit him. Like a bolt of lighting the thougt zapped into his brain. He jumped to his feet. "No, there is someone else! Come on guys we're getting Tempest out of there!"   
  
He went running towards the door.   
  
"What?" Zio ran after him.   
  
"Where are we going?" Ivy asked following as well.   
  
"To go see Elle." he answered. That would work, Ellone could prove Tempest didn't do it. The only thing standing in the way right now was the detention center. His first stop was the infrimary, Dr. Kadowaki wasn't there. Zan went to her desk and retrieved Tempest's gunblade. "Alright now we need to formulate some kind of plan to get her out."   
  
***   
  
"You sure about this?" Ivy asked uneasily. "I want to get Tempest out just as much as you two, but we could very well get kicked out if we're found out."   
  
"Then we won't get found out." Zan stated flatly. Zio nodded in agreement.   
  
"And we're off then." Ivy punched the button opening the doors to the training area. "Time to raise hell."   
  
***  
  
Zio ran down the halls as fast as she could near the detention center. "The monsters got out! The monsters got out!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "There's a T-Rex R loose in the hallway!" She watched as a couple of the SeeDs scurried off to take care of the problem. All they had to do was wait, once they found out just how many monsters were loose in the hallways they'd be calling for backup. Zan and Ivy ran down the hall towards them.   
  
"How're things turning out?" Zan asked.   
  
"Backup! We need backup!" one of the soldiers stuck his head in the detention center and several other SeeDs ran off.   
  
"Just as planned." Zio sighed. "I just hope no one gets hurt.   
  
"Let's go." Tempest's gunblade in hand, Zan led the way into the detention center. To their disappointment the man at the front security desk was still there.   
  
"How do we get past now?" Zio moaned.   
  
"Hide over there." Ivy commaned.   
  
"What?" the siblings looked at her.   
  
"Just do it."   
  
Quickly they obeyed.   
  
"Help! Help!" Ivy screamed. "Help! It attacked me!"   
  
The security guard came out to see what was going on. "What? What's the matter."   
  
Ivy sat down holding her ankle and moaning in agony. "I got attacked by some of the monsters that got loose. I rolled my ankle, I can't walk on it. I don't want them to come back and get me."   
  
"Yeah, it's probably not safe for you to be sitting out here. Come on I'll get you to a secured area." He helped her up and assisted her as she limped down the hallway still sniffeling. She managed to slip the key card out of his pocket and drop it on the hallway floor.   
  
"She is a little to good at that." Zio shook her head as she went to pick up the card.   
  
"Hey, saves up the trouble of breaking the door down." Zan shrugged. He went over to the front desk and typed Tempest's name into the room search. "There, room 4D." He left forgetting to turn the computer off. It didn't take them very long to get to Tempest's room. Zio slid the card through and pushed the controls to make the door slide open.   
  
Tempest was curled up on the floor but she jumped to her feet as she heard the door open. She blinked in surprise when she saw Zio and Zan standing in the doorway.   
  
"What's going on? Am I free to go?" she asked.   
  
"No, we're getting you out. We're going to take you to someone who can prove you're innocent and then we can come back and everyone will know that you didn't do it." Zan took her by the hand and led her out of the little cell. "We just have to get to the Ragnorok now, hopefully Ivy got herself over there by now. Here, this is yours." He handed her her gunblade before they took off running down the hall.  
  
***  
  
The Security guard made his way back to his desk having made sure that the young girl was safely out of harms way.   
  
"How on earth did all those monsters get out anyway?" he murmered as he sat down. He looked over at his computer. "Funny, I didn't think that I left that on." He looked at the open file on the screen, Tempest, the sorceress girl suspected of murder. He had a strange feeling about this, he got up and hurried over towards her cell as he went he tried to find the key card, it wasn't there. But it didn't matter, when he reached the cell the door was standing wide open. Empty.   
  
***  
  
Tempest held her gunblade in one hand as she led Zan lead her down the hall. "Who is it we're going to see? How can they help me?" she asked.   
  
"We're going to see Ellone, there's no time to explain now."   
  
{"How are my two favorite nieces doing?"}   
  
Tempest shook her head to make the voice leave.   
  
"Did I know this Ellone?" she asked.   
  
"She's your aunt." Zio answered.   
  
Tempest didn't ask anymore questions, that voice troubled her. Two favorite nieces? Who was the other? Whoever this Ellone was she hoped desperatly that she would have some answers for her.   
  
They just stepped outside and were headed towards the Ragnorok hangar.  
  
"Attention!" a voice boomed over the intercom. "Tempest has escaped from the detention center! Seal off all ways out of the garden! The prisioner must be detained!"   
  
Zan stopped dead, Tempest almost ran into him. "What?" She looked over in the direction he was. a large group of SeeDs were patrolling the hangar.   
  
"How are we supposed to get out now?" Zio moaned. "We'll never get past all of them."   
  
Tempest pulled her computer out of her jacket, she downloaded and junctioned him. She smiled it was nice to feel the presence of one of her friends in her mind again.   
  
"Mega Flare!" She cast the summon spell. The dragon came roaring down from the sky.   
  
"What on earth?"   
  
"What is that thing?" The soldiers began running towards them.  
  
Tempest jumped onto Bahamut's back and helped Zio up after her. Zan jumped on behind.   
  
"Let's go." The dragon lifted off.   
  
"Hey! Wait!" Ivy came running from the Garden. Zan leaned over and lifted her up. Tempest looked back towards the gate, there was a man standing in the shadows watching them take off. A cocky grin spread across his face that made Tempest's blood run cold.   
  
{"Why don't you play in here for awhile?"} bits a pieces of a lost nightmare flickered through her mind as she looked at his cold blue eyes. She stared at where he was long after he had passed from sight. Zan put a hand on her shoulder.   
  
"Are you alright?" he asked.   
  
"yes." she answered. "Which way is it to Ellone's house?" She prayed this woman had answers for her. She was so tired of not knowing. Tempest remembered back to when she was wandering, when she had been indifferant to her memories. If only it was that easy now. 


	7. Things I hid so long

"There it is." Tempest looked down at the tiny little village Zan was pointing to.   
  
"That's it?" Ivy looked down. "Geeze, tiny is an understatment."   
  
"It may be small but it's a nice place." Zio shrugged.   
  
"So she's down there?" Tempest asked as Bahamut swooped lower.   
  
"Yeah, that's where we'll find Aunt Elle." Zan nodded.   
  
The dragon landed a little way away from the town so as not to scare the residents. They all slid off the dragons back.   
  
"Bahamut you're dismissed." Tempest commanded and he disappeared.   
  
Tempest took a deep breath and began walking towards the little village.   
  
"Hey wait up!" Ivy ran after her. "You do know that we're here for you right?"  
  
"Yeah." Zio nodded. "We can help you through this."   
  
Tempest didn't answer. She could see the uneasy looks on their faces, Ellone would be able to help her, and she was going to see something that she didn't want to. What awful memories lay buried so deep inside her mind, with an old fear of them keeping her from remembering? She shivered a little, but she had to know, she had to find out.   
  
"Are you okay?" Zan put his hand on her shoulder, probably noting her shiver.   
  
"Yeah...fine." she said as they entered the tiny village. Little children ran through the square playing and laughing with elderly people keeping an eye on them. Others wandered down the one road through the town going about their daily business.   
  
"That's her house over there." Zan pointed across the square.   
  
Without a word Tempest made her way over to the building that looked very much like a bar of somesort. A little bell dinged as she pushed the door open and strode in.  
  
"Hold on, I'll be with you in a minute." a voice from the back room called.   
  
Tempest studied the little room with it's scattered tables and chairs. Zio, Zan and Ivy stood behind her. A woman carrying a tray of glasses came out of the back, a wide smile on her face. She stopped short and stared at them in silence for a long moment. Tempest thought hard, searching her mind for any memories of this woman but none came.   
  
"Tempest?" She finally managed to gasp.   
  
"Yes, it's me." Tempest said, suddenly for some unknown reason tears began to well up in her eyes.   
  
Ellone left her tray on the counter and rushed over sweeping the girl up in her arms. "Oh I've missed you! I knew you were alive, I knew it!" She let go of her for a moment and took a long look at her. "Hyne you look just like your mother." her smile turned a little sad. "But tell me, what's happened while you were gone? Where were you?"   
  
"I was wandering...I don't really know where I was. That's why we came to you. I can't seem to remember anything...Zan and the others think that you can help me." Tempest said hopefully, she felt a knot twist in her stomach. What if she couldn't help? What would she do then?   
  
Ellone studied her for a long moment. "I've been able to send other people into the pasts of others...I've never tried to send someone into their own past."   
  
Tempest's heart wrenched, she couldn't help after all. Ellone must have been able to see the anguish on her face.   
  
"Don't worry love." she hugged her again. "I'll try. Come on upstairs and I'll try. Zio, will you put the closed sign in the window?"   
  
Zio quickly obeyed while the other trooped upstairs. "Lay down over there." Ellone set a chair beside the bed as Tempest stretched out on it. "Alright I'll try."   
  
Tempest felt a buzzing noise and suddenly things went dark.   
  
Tempest and Zio ran after the Zan and some other boys through the training center. "Hey guys wait up!"  
  
They took off running faster.   
  
"Hey guys that's not fair! I'm gonna tell on you for leaving us behind!" Zio wailed.   
  
They stopped finally. "What do you guys want?" one of Zan's friends asked crossly.   
  
"We want to train with you guys." Little Tempest drew herself up as tall as she could. "We're gonna be SeeDs some day to."   
  
"You? You want to be a SeeD?" Zan laughed. "You'd never make it as a SeeD, you're to whimpy. Now knock it off and go away so we can train."   
  
Anger and hurt flowed throught Tempest as the boys walked off.   
  
"Don't listen to him." Zio said comfortingly. "You'll make a great SeeD someday."   
  
"No she won't." a little voice behind them sneered.   
  
Tempest spun around. "You're not supposed to BE in here! You're to little go away." she snapped at the little blonde haired blue eyed girl standing behind her. Hate and anger flowed through Tempest just looking at her.  
  
"I can go where ever I want. And if you can come in here so can I cuz I'm better than you." The little girl stared back at them defiantly. She was always like that, always trying to put Tempest down because she knew better than anyone else that everyone liked Tempest more.No one could accept Gale because of how she came about, well...almost no one.   
  
"Gale, I hope you get eaten by a T-Rex R." Zio snarled. "Come on Tempest let's go."   
  
"No, that's not what we needed to find. I'll try again." Ellone's voice floated through an empty darkness.   
  
So that was Gale...  
  
A five year old Tempest clutched her mothers hand as she walked away from the Caraway mansion. "Come on, it's time to go. I told you it'll always be the same, he'll never have time for anything but his work. He doesn't care about anyone or anything other than that." Rinoa sounded on the verge of tears.  
  
"Is daddy gonna be okay?" Tempest whispered.   
  
Rinoa visibly tried to compose herself for the sake of her daughter, "Yes honney. Daddy's going to be fine. Don't worry, we'll find him without grandpa's help. Come on now it's getting late." Rinoa led Tempest up to the inn they were staying at, she pulled out the key to her room as she went up the stairs but stopped when she saw that the door was already open. Motioning for Tempest to stay quiet she peeked around the door, there didn't seem to be anyone inside so she went on in.   
  
"The maid must have left the door open." She laughed nervously looking around the room. Tempest stepped inside after her as Rinoa made her way over to the light. Suddenly from the dark corner behind the bed a man stepped out of the shadows, he strode over and shut the door behind Tempest.   
  
"You!" Rinoa gasped, she made a grab for Tempest but the man pushed her aside. He gently pushed Tempest into the next room.   
  
"Why don't you play in here for awhile?" he said softly, the door closed and the lock clicked.   
  
"I don wanna be in here! It's dark! I don wanna be by myself!" the little girl whimpered tugging at the door handle that would not turn. Suddenly there was some crashing and shouting from the other room. "Mommy?" the little girl whimpered again.   
  
The screaming continued, "Hey you let me out! Let me out! Stop hurting my mommy! Hey!" Little Tempest pounded on the door tears streaming down her face. "Let me out!" Finding that it was futile, no one was going to let her out she curled up in the corner of the dark room her hands over her ears trying to block out the screaming in the other room. Suddenly all sound outside the door stopped except for Rinoa's sobbing, Tempest kept tugging at the door sniffling, suddenly it swung open a dark forboding figure stood in the way.   
  
"My daddy is the best SeeD in the world! He'll come after you for hurting my mommy!" Tempest choked out through her tears.   
  
The man knelt in front of her smiling his bright blue eyes piercing into her. "Yes, I know he'll come after me, in fact I wanna make sure of it. So you're going to have to come with me."   
  
Tempest drew back from him. "No!"   
  
Suddenly bright flashlights blazed into the room.   
  
"This is the Galbadian army! Step back from the girl right now!"   
  
With a grimace the man turned ran and jumped out the window.   
  
"I'm sorry Tempest, you didn't need to remember that." Ellone's voice floated across the nothingness.   
  
"No, it's alright." Tempest's voice sounded cold and emotionless. "I came here to remember."   
  
"I'll try again."   
  
Zan sat down beside the bed and watched over Tempest, Zio and Ivy had left to find something to eat. Tempest looked as if she was sleeping peacefully, Ellone sat beside her looking as though she was in a trance. Suddenly a tremor went through Tempest, a few tears slid down her cheeks. Zan gently wiped them away, who knows what she was remembering right now? They'd all known there were horrible things in her past, like Gale's father. He watched her, she looked so helpless right now. He wished that he could take all the pain of those horrible memories away so she wouldn't suffer anymore. He gently laid his hand over hers.   
  
"You'll be okay." he whispered.   
  
"Zan?" Zio tiptoed up the stairs. He glanced at her then went back to watching Tempest. "You've changed." she went over and stood beside him. "She's going to remember alot now, maybe even the way you used to treat her."   
  
"I know...but I'll make up for that."   
  
"Be careful Zan."   
  
"You know you're going to get in major trouble right?" Zio warned as Tempest climbed into the back of the truck.   
  
"Only if I get caught." Tempest smiled.   
  
"Which you will. Please Tempest don't go, you could get hurt." Ivy pleaded.   
  
"Don't be such a worrywart. Besides, this is the only way I'm gonna prove myself."   
  
"You're thirteen! You're gonna have plenty of time to prove yourself later." Zio protested.   
  
"Someone's coming!" Ivy gasped.   
  
"Get out of here!" Tempest dove behind the cargo stored in the truck as Zio and Ivy ran away. A little blonde head popped up as Gale hoisted herself into the back of the truck."You?!" Tempest growled. "Get out of here!"   
  
"Why?" Gale demanded.   
  
"You're only eight years old you're going to get yourself killed."   
  
"So you're worried about me?" Gale's eyes lit up hopefully.  
  
"No." Tempest said firmly. "I don't want you tagging along after me, if you get killed I get blamed for setting a bad example."   
  
Suddenly Gale dove behind one of the boxes as a SeeD shut the back door of the supply truck. There was a slight rumble as the car started up.   
  
"Hyne take it all." Tempest swore.   
  
"Looks like you're stuck with me now." Gale said smugly.   
  
"No I'm not. As soon as I get to the battle field I'm ditching you and denying that I knew you came along" Tempest said crossly.   
  
"Then if I get killed with my dying breath I'll tell the SeeDs that you made me come along."   
  
"Like they'd believe I'd want anything to do with you." Tempest snapped with that she turned around and refused to look at her. She couldn't stand looking at her for very long, her bright blue eyes were to...similar. Gale didn't say anything the rest of the trip. Tempest tensed as she heard rumbling sounds outside the vehicle, they had entered the war zone.   
  
AN: Well I have to end it there for now, Please review! Pretty Please? 


	8. Everything I've lost

AN: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated if there's even anyone reading this anymore.

"I think this is almost where we need to be, to find out what happened." Ellone's voice floated through Tempest's mind.

Thirteen year old Tempest snuck out of the back of the SeeD truck onto the battle field. The SeeDs all around her were fighting for their life against the Sorceresses creatures. Wave after wave came charging down the hillside. For the first time that day Tempest began to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. She steeled herself, she'd made it this far there was no turning back now. It was time to prove herself to everyone that she was good enough to be a SeeD, especially Zan. Training Saber in hand she ducked into the fighting going mostly for the smaller creatures like the bite bugs and caterpillars. Then she caught site of her parents fighting back to back up on the ridge. She made a mental note to avoid that area.

"Wait for me!" Gale came running after Tempest her face as white as a sheet.

Tempest glared down at the little girl "You should have stayed in the truck!"

"A grendal started attacking the truck!" Tears were starting to well up in her eyes she was terrified and unarmed. No matter how much Tempest hated her half sister she couldn't leave her to fend for herself like that.

"Stay close to me." she commanded gritting her teeth. Gale nodded and stood as close to Tempest as humanly possible without being physically attached.

Tempest made her way over to the cliffs where there was a slight overhang and a little cubby hole underneath.

"Crawl under!" Tempest commanded. "Hide down there until I come and get you. Just stay as far back as you can and the monsters shouldn't be able to reach you."

"Don't leave me!" Gale began sobbing grabbing Tempest's arm.

"Get down!" Tempest screamed as a bomb flew right over their heads. "Blizzaga!" the speel hit the creature killing it.

Gale was on the ground weeping. Why oh why did she have to follow me? Tempest knelt down beside her wrapping her arms around her shoulders trying hard not to look at her eyes, those hated eyes.

"Gale, hide under the rock, you'll be safe there. I'll come back for you I promise! Just stay put."

Finally still sobbing the little girl obeyed. Tempest got to her feet saber in hand. It was then that she saw him, standing up at the top of the ridge staring down at them with his keen blue eyes. That cocky smile plastered on his face, the man who hurt her mother, Gale's father. What was he doing here?

A cold hate filled her blocking out all other feelings, everything all the problems, hurts and troubles were all his fault. He disappeared over the ridge. With a cold determination Tempest climbed up the hill keeping low to avoid encounters. Before long she was at the top, looking over the edge she saw her father at the bottom fighting the blonde man. Tempest crouched down behind a boulder, surely her father would win. She had never seen him fighting so hard in all her life. The two gunblades crashed and flared repeatedly neither gaining, neither losing. The next moment seemed to go in slow motion, there was a loose rock, Squalls foot found it. He fell down on one knee the next moment the blue eyed mans gun blade ran him through. There was an expression of shocked horror that passed over his face as he slumped over.

"No!" Tempest screamed jumping to her feet. The blue eyed man looked up at her. He just smiled, he was smiling! He blew a kiss to her then turned and walked away.

Tempest ran down the hillside as fast as she could throwing herself to her knees beside her father.

"Tempest...what, what are you doing here?" Squall's voice came out in a rasp.

"Daddy please don't go." Tempest sobbed grabbing his hand.

"I love you baby." he touched her cheek gently. "I love you more than anything else in the world." He pulled off the necklace with her mothers ring that she had given him. "Please give this to Gale, as a remembrance. I will always think of her as my daughter."

"No please." the tears were hot on her cheeks. She held his hand as tightly as she could as if holding on to him could make him stay with her.

He stroked her cheek gently. "Be a good girl and look after your mother and your sister. You'll have to protect them while I'm gone."

His voice was so soft now it was almost inaudible. She rested her head on his chest and sobbed listening to his heartbeat slower, slower, slower...gone. Tempest screamed she didn't know how long she sat there weeping while the battle raged on the other side of the hill. Finally she sat up wiping away her tears. She had a duty now, she took of Squall's jacket and wrapped it around herself taking in the scent of him. She took the GF's he had junctioned and junctioned them to herself, finally she picked up the gunblade. It was rather large and heavy but she would manage.

She struggled over the rocks and craigs with the heavy gunblade in hand. Her mind set on only one thing, revenge. She kept going in the direction the blue eyed man had disappeared in. Finally she saw him standing there beside a tall dark woman dressed in black. He saw her as she approached and smiled cruelly.

"Did you come to join sorceress Selande?" he asked mockingly.

"I came to kill you." Tempest ground out.

"Really." he looked at her innocently. "What have I ever done to you?"

"You hurt my mother, you killed my father..."

"Your mother is dead now to." he smiled.

"You're lying." Tempest stared at him a cold fear rushing through her what if he wasn't?

"Come my Knight, we have more important business to attend to." Selande began to walk away and he began to follow.

"No!" Tempest hefted the gunblade, she charged at him. He turned around holding his hand up a huge flare spell hit her sending her flying backwards.

"Come find me again when you're ready." He followed the sorceress through a portal that she created and disappeared.

"Hyne, I call on you to wittness this oath. I will not stop training, I will not give up until that man is dead." Tempest whispered. "I can't go home until I've avenged him."

"...so that's what happened to him. I'm so sorry Tempest." Ellone's voice sounded like she was crying.

Tempests eyelids fluttered open, Ellone was sitting beside her tears running silently down her face. Zan sat beside her holding her hand, Zan her tormenter, the one she'd adored as a child always striving to impress. Ivy and Zio, her two best friends paced around the back of the room. As soon as they all saw she was awake they crowded around her again.

"Did it work?" Zio asked anxiously.

Tempest didn't answer, and her silence was answer enough for all of them. The blue eyed man, she still hadn't killed the blue eyed man. The man! Him, she'd seen him. She sat up straight.

"It was him! The person who killed that girl in the hallway! It was him, the blue eyed man, the one who killed my father!When I was talking to Zan, I saw him and then I chased him and I found her body." she clenched her fists angrily. "He's taunting me. He wants me to come after him, he made it so I can't go back to the Garden I have to go after him."

"Seifer." Ellone said leaning back sadly. "His name is Seifer." she stared out the window as if she could see something that wasn't there she smiled faintly. "He wasn't always that way. I don't know...what's happened to him."

Finally she stood up shaking her head. "No use crying over the past."

Suddenly the door creaked open.

"Aunt Elle I'm home."

Tempest looked back and froze. There she was standing in the doorway staring back at her with those bright blue eyes. 


End file.
